5/05/2004

anti-muslim watch II

follow-up to my post from March, I have indeed noticed a rise in conservative talk-radio rhetoric against Muslims, most recently Jay Severin and Michael Savage (the recent issue about the call to prayer on loudspeakers in a mosque in Michigan seemed to particularly aggravate the radio pundits).

The anti-muslim trend is not limited to violence, there are also more symbolic expressions of the same sentiment. For example, a Portland interfaith breakfast conference disinvited the Muslim representative. And there is no shortage of personal anecdotes either. The reality is that conservatives are actively seeking to exclude muslims from the community - despite the muslim community's active attempts to integrate. Quite ironic given the rhetoric about stubborn refusal to assimilate coming from the conservative quarter.

Glenn recently questioned whether the trend was real, noting that CAIR is partially a compromised source, and that the rise in reporting of such incidents may be due to an increased number of offices. But the incidents are what drive the need for new offices, not the other way around - and there's a general feeling amongst American muslims that things are getting worse. This isn't about 9-11 so much as it is the result of a systematic cultural-propaganda campaign, finally beginning to affect the center of gravity.

Despite my misgivings about the organization and Ibrahim Cooper specifically, there's a real role for CAIR to play here, as evidenced by Al-Muhajabah's links. It seems that a jihad of words against conservative talk radio is needed. I may have to donate money to CAIR if the trend continues.